Journalists' Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence and Disinformation Risks

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Peña-Alonso, Urko, Peña-Fernández, Simón, Meso-Ayerdi, Koldobika
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Peña-Alonso, Urko
Peña-Fernández, Simón
Meso-Ayerdi, Koldobika
author_facet Peña-Alonso, Urko
Peña-Fernández, Simón
Meso-Ayerdi, Koldobika
contents This study examines journalists' perceptions of the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on disinformation, a growing concern in journalism due to the rapid expansion of generative AI and its influence on news production and media organizations. Using a quantitative approach, a structured survey was administered to 504 journalists in the Basque Country, identified through official media directories and with the support of the Basque Association of Journalists. This survey, conducted online and via telephone between May and June 2024, included questions on sociodemographic and professional variables, as well as attitudes toward AI's impact on journalism. The results indicate that a large majority of journalists (89.88%) believe AI will considerably or significantly increase the risks of disinformation, and this perception is consistent across genders and media types, but more pronounced among those with greater professional experience. Statistical analyses reveal a significant association between years of experience and perceived risk, and between AI use and risk perception. The main risks identified are the difficulty in detecting false content and deepfakes, and the risk of obtaining inaccurate or erroneous data. Co-occurrence analysis shows that these risks are often perceived as interconnected. These findings highlight the complex and multifaceted concerns of journalists regarding AI's role in the information ecosystem.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_01824
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Journalists' Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence and Disinformation Risks
Peña-Alonso, Urko
Peña-Fernández, Simón
Meso-Ayerdi, Koldobika
Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
This study examines journalists' perceptions of the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on disinformation, a growing concern in journalism due to the rapid expansion of generative AI and its influence on news production and media organizations. Using a quantitative approach, a structured survey was administered to 504 journalists in the Basque Country, identified through official media directories and with the support of the Basque Association of Journalists. This survey, conducted online and via telephone between May and June 2024, included questions on sociodemographic and professional variables, as well as attitudes toward AI's impact on journalism. The results indicate that a large majority of journalists (89.88%) believe AI will considerably or significantly increase the risks of disinformation, and this perception is consistent across genders and media types, but more pronounced among those with greater professional experience. Statistical analyses reveal a significant association between years of experience and perceived risk, and between AI use and risk perception. The main risks identified are the difficulty in detecting false content and deepfakes, and the risk of obtaining inaccurate or erroneous data. Co-occurrence analysis shows that these risks are often perceived as interconnected. These findings highlight the complex and multifaceted concerns of journalists regarding AI's role in the information ecosystem.
title Journalists' Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence and Disinformation Risks
topic Computers and Society
Artificial Intelligence
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.01824